Colts Wanted Package of Players, Picks from Dolphins for Taylor

The Dolphins are in position to play the waiting game regarding Jonathan Taylor with a talented crop of free agent tailbacks becoming available in 2024

The Miami Dolphins wanted Jonathan Taylor, but were unwilling to meet the demands of the Indianapolis Colts before Tuesday's 4 p.m. deadline.

Where does that leave both parties now? Is there still interest, and can a deal still be made?

According to league sources, the Colts initially demanded a first-round pick, but later were willing to settle on a second-round selection, and discussed a group of players that included defensive tackle Christian Wilkins, guard Robert Hunt and wide receiver Jaylen Waddle.

The Dolphins were unwilling to accept Indianapolis' counter offers, standing firm in not overpaying for a disgruntled tailback seeking a mega deal, and turned the team's attention elsewhere, sending cornerback Noah Igbinoghene to the Cowboys for cornerback Kelvin Joseph, and shipping center Dan Feeney to the Chicago Bears for a 2024 sixth-round pick. 

Both of those deals were cost-cutting moves that helped the Dolphins preserve cap space for a possible deal, or future transactions.

Green Bay was mystery NFC team

The other team pursuing Taylor, which reportedly was Green Bay, didn't accept Indianapolis' counter offers, either, which raises some concern whether the Colts genuinely intended to trade Taylor.

Whether Miami will remain interested in acquiring Taylor this season, after he sits out the first four games of 2023 because he was placed on the Reserve/PUP list, likely depends on how Miami's run game performs in the first month of the season, and possibly before the trade deadline on Halloween (Oct. 31).

Dolphins like five-player backfield

The Dolphins are in position to be patient right now because the team is confident a healthy Raheem Mostert, Jeff Wilson, the lead backs this season and last, can carry the rushing game against their first four opponents, the Los Angeles Chargers, New England Patriots, Denver Broncos and Buffalo Bills.

Mostert and Wilson collectively accounted for 1,751 rushing yards and scored 11 touchdowns last year. 

And if backups are needed, De'Von Achane, the Dolphins' 2023 third-round pick, Salvon Ahmed, who had a phenomenal preseason showing, and Chris Brooks, an undrafted rookie from BYU who made it onto the initial 53-man roster, are capable of filling a void.

A month into the season might be the ideal time for Achane to overcome the shoulder injury he suffered in Miami's preseason win over the Houston Texans, learn the playbook, and adapt to the speed of the NFL game.

By Halloween week, the Dolphins will have played the first eight games of the 2023 season, setting up a Nov. 5 game against the Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs, and Miami possibly could discover if this team is a title contender, or pretender.

Will Taylor trade market cool?

By then, Taylor's trade market, and value either will heat up because of injuries that have taken place at the tailback position throughout the league, or it will have cooled off, with teams willing to wait for him to become available in the offseason.

Next offseason is when a talented stable of tailbacks like Taylor, Tennessee's Derrick Henry, the New York Giants' Saquon Barkley, Raiders starter Josh Jacobs, Dallas' Tony Pollard, Dalvin Cook, Ezekiel Elliott, Austin Ekeler, D'Andre Swift, and J.K. Dobbins will become free agents.

If Miami reaches the midway point and isn't contending for the AFC East division crown and pushing for supremacy or a wild-card spot in the AFC, General Manager Chris Grier likely will wait for free agency. Then Miami won't have to give up a player or draft picks to upgrade the tailback position. It's possible that Miami also could turn its attention to trading for another back, say Henry, by the trade deadline.

The Dolphins seemingly were willing to compensate Taylor with a multi-year deal that would make him one of the NFL’s highest-paid tailbacks, and Miami's flirtation with the 2021 MVP candidate likely will get the attention of every top-tier tailback looking to earn more than $10 million a season in a multi-year deal.